The new Ipod - ZUNE!!

Does anyone know about this?? I saw a commercial on tv and it looks pretty cool. It's basically an ipod video with some more coll features in it. WIFI, FM radio, just to name a few.

It got some bad and good reviews and does not come out until tommorow. The price is set to be $249.99.

Did anyone else do any reading up on it??

It's not an iPod. it's made by Microsoft, which is a huge strike against it, in my book. It's supposed to end up being the hot thing for christmasa, but we'll see.

The way I see it, Microsoft makes Windows and Windows is a mess. So... I'd rather use my Apple iPod :)

Yeh I know it's Microsoft but it's basically like an Ipod.

What's wrong with Windows? not trying to be sarcastic but I dont know much about stuff like this.

Um ... yeah it's an mp3 player.  It's not an iPod.  Just like you can call every kleenix a tissue, but you can't call every tissue a kleenix.

One of the features I don't quite get is the wireless communication that is available, but only between Zunes.  So you can share movies, pictures, and music one zune to another wirelessly.  Would I really know that many people with a zune?  What else are people going to send to my zune that I don't want?   and whatever gets sent to me I can only use for 3 days?   Seems kinda pointless. 

Also this sounds like it would be an actual spinning hard drive since it's 30gb of memory.   I think I would still prefer the flash memory like those of the Ipod Nano because it's not moving parts.  But then you're comparing 30gb hard drive to only 8gb of flash.  So if you're going to be carrying a lot of podcasts, videos, pictures, etc you're going to want the hard drive.  The nano is still pictures and audio only, so no video.  The FM tuner would be really with the nano, and it's disappointing that this isn't already a standard feature, but there is an accessory that you can plug into the nano if you want FM.  (i'd like something like this for at the gym when I'm watching the TVs and I want to tune in.)

As far as cost goes, the new 2nd generation 8gb nano retails for the same as the new 30gb Zune.   I'm really hoping to see a big price drop on the nano. 

I think that if I found something that said that the Zune was in fact flash memory, I'd be more interested.  Otherwise, I'll just work around all the other bells and whistles and go with the Nano.   I WILL get one before new year! 

Microsoft Windows is.. clunky. It's got more holes than swiss cheese and the only reason why everyone uses it is that Bill Gates sort of horned his way into the market in the 90s and took it over. It's not necessarily a superior OS, just the most commonly used one.

The biggest strike against the Zune that I've read so far is the loopy way to buy songs. Instead of instantly downloading one song for .99, MS is making you first purchase "points" in batches of $5 minimum. So no single .99 downloads.  After you buy your points and load your account, then you can download a song... but a song that is valued at 75 points costs .99 cents, not .75. Sound confusing? I thought so.

Sounds like a great way for greedy MS to try and make money off unused point balances in your account.

yeh I read that to secret squirrel. about the points thing. Seems stupud. Why not just use your credit and they credit you as you go along.

the only good thing I like is that for $14.99 a month, you can download an unlimited # of songs. so I read.

We'll see it when it comes out tommorow.

For me, the biggest strike against the zune is that I've already put money down on the iTunes store, and the Zune can't play those songs. Only the iPods can.
Unless.. I burn the tunes onto CD and rerip them as MP3.
Hence... not worth it :)

I've only heard bad things, but I hate Ipod too.

If you're interested, here's what the New York Times technology blogger had to say about it.

hkellick, you can download free conversion software to change iTunes m4a files into mp3. I don't remember where, but I know it was easy to find.

For what it's worth, it's really cool looking.  I saw it in a store over the weeked and was fiddling around with it.  It's display seems to be about 2x the size of the display on the ipod video.  I have no complaints about my ipod, so I won't be getting one.  I also like all the options there are for accessories for the ipod.  Any of the other mp3 players have really limited accessories out there, which sucks.  I almost got a creative zen vision, but none of the accessories I needed were even manufactured for the vision.   I really don't like how that points system sounds, either.